Aston Villa vs Arsenal Match Thread

[Goldie.7]

Lets not forget we could very easily have been 2-0. We've been decent other than that 5 minute spell. We didn't deserve that. Come on Villa.

Sorry but this game is over, it was at 0-2

[brontebilly]

Well this was the worry. How paper thin that confidence was going to be. Especially with 2 late illnesses to contend with. Have to say I started to question Sanchez a game or two back - He mat just need time to settle but I don't think he's better than what we've got. Good half hour but now we're in trouble.

Sanchez is miles off the pace

the way we crumbled is reminiscent of Lambert's reign of terror

I remarked on that when he came on last week, he looked completely lost. We might as well get Okore and Grealish on here at half time to give them game time if we are going to lose anyway

definitely would bring Grealish in at half time, to give the crowd a boost more than anything. Maybe go to three at the back with Okore coming in and Cissokho coming off, Richardson back onto the left. There is the danger of a Chelsea style 8-0 here I reckon. Arsenal playing some lovely one touch passes around our box.

[Monty]

Let's not overreact. Arsenal have been pretty good this season, and we more than matched them except for a five-minute period where they showed why they're a top team. Our run had to end sometime, so let's not go mental.

[PeterWithesShin]

Defensive crumbling.

Maybe a reminder that's not as much in or history as we thought?

Clark is awful.

The only way I can see Clark making it is as a midfielder. He just doesn't fill me with any confidence as a CH.

[Marton]

If you are going to look for weak links, then Sanchez and Clark are certainly the candidates for me.

And Ozil is in exactly that area gaining confidence every minute he can reign free....

[FatSam]

Apart from that mentalist 5 mins we looked ok overall.

Isn't that just what good teams do to us though? We conceded two in two minutes at home against them last year as well.

We would probably now need to create as many chances as we have in four and a half games so far this season in order to get something from this second half.

[Rigadon]

The real Aston Villa have turned up today.  Gutless, spineless and passionless

Blimey, that's a bit harsh.

We're not spineless or gutless.  Clark isn't good enough and Sanchez looks so slow it could be one of us in midfield!

Arsenal are exactly the wrong team to be a few behind against.   I wouldn't rule out this ending up 5 or 6. 

[supertom]

30 decent minutes followed by 5 minutes as bad as the 15-0 period two seasons ago, followed by a mediocre last 10 minutes. Game over.

I think we need to get Zogbia and/or Cole on now.

Sanchez is having an absolutely abysmal full debut. He's way off being ready. He doesn't know where to position himself. Doesn't know who he's marking. Is way too slow on the ball. 9 times out of 10 when the ball gets on him, before he's even come close to making a decision on what to do with it, he's been tackled. He's making Sylla look like Yaya Toure. He's got to come off because they're now carving through our middle.

Cleverely has been poor too. Despite a solid debut he's perhaps still short of a bit of confidence and he went to shite after their first goal.

I'd be tempted to take off Sanchez and Cleverley and bring on N'Zogbia and Cole or Grealish. Play a 4-2-3-1 with Delph and Rico holding. We've got to go for it now. There's nothing to lose.

We've actually really missed Westwood today (aside from obviously missing Vlaar massively too). Westy offered a bit of composure and nous from deep. No one is really coming back to start things off. Sanchez is the deeper mid, but he's been dreadful.

[TonyD]

I can't remember having this much faith in our defence.

No!

[Nelly]

Lets not forget we could very easily have been 2-0. We've been decent other than that 5 minute spell. We didn't deserve that. Come on Villa.

Sorry but this game is over, it was at 0-2

Agreed, but lets not get suicidal about the team. It's the kind of clichéd thing I hate to say, but you can see there are positive signs there. Sod this game, keep it respectable(ish), on to the next one.

[SamTheMouse]

Defensive crumbling.

Maybe a reminder that's not as much in or history as we thought?

Clark is awful.

The only way I can see Clark making it is as a midfielder. He just doesn't fill me with any confidence as a CH.

To be fair, he's fifth choice. Nobody's fifth choice centre-back is going to be much good.

[Rigadon]

Cleverely has been poor too. Despite a solid debut he's perhaps still short of a bit of confidence and he went to shite after their first goal.

Agree with most of your post, but Cleverly has done well for me.

[olaftab]

The real Aston Villa have turned up today.  Gutless, spineless and passionless

****! unbelievable comment.

[Rigadon]

Defensive crumbling.

Maybe a reminder that's not as much in or history as we thought?

Clark is awful.

The only way I can see Clark making it is as a midfielder. He just doesn't fill me with any confidence as a CH.

To be fair, he's fifth choice. Nobody's fifth choice centre-back is going to be much good.

So why isn't Okore starting today then?  Honest question.  If he's fit enough to be on the bench....

[Stu]

Lets not forget we could very easily have been 2-0. We've been decent other than that 5 minute spell. We didn't deserve that. Come on Villa.

Sorry but this game is over, it was at 0-2

The glee. Weird really.